LANDIS DECISION POSTPONED BY FRENCH ANTI-DOPING AGENCY

Following Floyd Landis’ agreement not to race in France in 2007, the French Anti-Doping Agency [AFLD] announced on Thursday (Feb 8) that they have postponed a decision on whether the American should be suspended for his postiive test for testosterone.

The AFLD will now return to the Landis case after the US Anti-Doping Agency [USADA] reaches its decision in May.

Reading from a prepared statement on Thursday morning, AFLD director Pierre Bordry said that Landis had promised he would not take part in the Tour this year – or any other event, professional or amateur, in France – regardless of the USADA verdict.

?We will let him defend himself as he wishes.? Bordry commented. ?He realised that if he didn?t act today, we would open up the procedure immediately.?

Landis’ lawyer, present at the AFLD meeting in Paris on Thursday, requested that the AFLD delay their decision because it was complicating matters for Landis. The AFLD?s verdict, in any case, would only be applicable on French territory.

The USADA will now open up its investigation into Landis on May 14th. The ongoing delays now make it almost certain that there will be no definitive Tour winner of the 2006 race until after the 2007 Tour has been held. The UCI had no comment to make on the AFLD postponement of the Landis case.